


Snape's Best Memory

by SilverShortyyy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-10-04 05:19:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10269134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverShortyyy/pseuds/SilverShortyyy
Summary: AU!Canon Divergence. What if Snape had responded differently in his 'worst' memory?





	

**Author's Note:**

> All copyright to the amazing, wonderful, tear-inducing-because-of-her-stories, impossibly perfect woman named JK Rowling. I love her so much and Harry Potter is all hers and I love her for the pain and emotions the series has given me.

_“ ‘Cause we were just kids when we fell in love,_  
_Not knowing what it was._  
_I will not give you up this time._  
_But, darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own._  
_And in your eyes, you’re holding mine. ”_

 

* * *

 

“Leave him alone!”

Lily Evans rushes in front of James Potter and Sirius Black, eyes blazing with rage.

“All right, Evans?” If one were to look a little closer, James was trying to flirt.

Lily never fell for that. James didn’t only seem like a player, he’s also pretty much the biggest bastard in their year. She didn’t see why she should care about him at all.

“Leave. Him. Alone.” She says again, eyeing down James and Sirius. If they had been creatures, she'd look like a lion breathing down on two mice. “What’s he done to you?”

Behind her, Severus Snape’s mouth still frothed with bubbles, and try as he might, he is still very much attached to the ground. Wriggling did nothing to free him; it didn’t help how far his wand is either.

“Well,” James begins to say, walking toward Lily, “it’s more the fact that he _exists_ , if you know what I mean….”

She couldn’t have looked at James with more loathing.

The crowd laughs, but not Lily. No, she found this all the more reason to look like she wanted to squash James’ head onto a tree.

“You think you’re funny. But you’re just an arrogant, bullying, toerag, Potter. Leave him _alone_.”

As James nears her, their distance barely a foot, she has to look up at him to see him eye to eye. And even then, she looks like she would love to murder him, to curse him in the worst ways.

“I will if you go out with me, Evans.” There’s a raspy tone in his voice, an undertone both Lily and Severus notice.

‘ _As if I could tolerate having a meal with you, Pothead,_ ’ thought Lily.

‘ _No way in hell are you touching her,_ ’ thought Severus.

“Go on…” James looks as if to close the distance between himself and Lily; Lily looks even more seething with rage. “Go out with me, and I’ll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again.”

The Impediment Jinx is fading, and Severus had begun inching his way toward his wand. Just a little more, a little more…

“I wouldn’t go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid.”

Just a little more…

And the rest happens in a blur.

Severus reaches his wand in triumph and sends a dash over to James. James’ cheeks suddenly explode with blood, and it splatters all over. But just as the last drop of blood touches a tip of a blade of grass, James brings out his wand and sends Severus flying up.

When it’s over, Severus hangs upside down in mid-air, skinny legs and underpants exposed for all of Hogwarts to see.

The sight of it would’ve made any teenage witch or wizard laugh their socks off. But, it only made Lily further want to rip the Marauders’ heads off.

“Let him down!”

So James did so. Then as Severus finally got freed of the shame, James petrifies him, and once again Severus is helpless at the hands of James Potter.

“LEAVE HIM ALONE!”

“Ah, Evans, don’t make me hex you.”

“Take the curse off him, then!”

Then Severus could stand again. At the sight, Lily rushes to his aid and helps him stand.

“There you go!” James looks mocking from a distance; up close there’s an inkling of what looks to be jealousy in his eyes. “You’re lucky Evans was here, Snivellus—”

“And I’m lucky that she chooses me over the likes of you!”

There is silence.

Nothing could be heard other than the rustling of Remus’ cloak. Remus seizes James’ and Sirius’ arms, pulling them toward the beech tree and away from Severus and Lily.

“That’s enough, for all of you.”

Sending one last look of loathing, they dispersed as per command from Prefect Lupin.

Moments of silence pass and Severus can’t shake off the thought that Lily’s still holding his hand.

“Even if I’m a mudblood?” Lily says, looking over to the Marauders as Remus pushes James and Sirius down beside Peter.

Severus doesn’t have to look at her to respond. But he can’t resist it, so he turns his head to watch the wind blow her hair, strands gracefully dancing to the beat of the wind. Her eyes shine like emeralds; they always look best in the midday sunshine.

“Even if you were a Muggle.” At this, Lily turns to him in surprise. Her lips form a small ‘o’ as her eyes widen at him. Maybe he’s said too much, maybe she just didn’t expect it today; but he’s gotten enough courage now, and he doubts he’ll ever get it again.

Lily’s bright green eyes soften, her lips curling to a gentle smile.

He can’t help it. Severus has to look away when he feels his cheeks warming, and he hears her giggle from beside him before she pulls him toward her and steers them away from the crowd, away from the rest of Hogwarts and back into the castle.

 

* * *

 

That night, Lily and Severus sneak up to the Astronomy Tower. The stars are twinkling above head; it’s a clear night.

Even with Severus’ pleads not to do this, at the risk of getting caught, and all that, he doesn’t regret seeing Lily like this: she’s zooming to the edge of the tower to gaze up at the stars, with the brightest most adorable look on her face.

“Well?” She looks at him, waiting.

Severus laughs shyly and walks over to her, looking up at the heavens once he stands beside her and leans on the edge.

She leans against him and rests her head on his shoulder. As if to convince him this is all a dream, she puts her arm over his and slides her hand between his.

Slowly, Lily inserts her fingers between Severus’, curling them together while her head rests on his shoulder.

He couldn’t believe any of it. But he knows, oh Severus knows, none of this could be a dream.

“I think I loved the way you were there when no one else was,” she begins to say, “I think I love the way you would stay strong for me even when you had no one to be strong for you.”

 _I had my mother,_ a voice said in Severus’ head.

 _But the person who was strong for me was you, Lily._ And Severus tightened his hold while he looks up at the stars, even when all he wants to do is look at the brightest star of all. The one standing right beside him.

“I think I love the way you stand out, the way you aren’t trying to be anyone other than yourself. I think I love how passionate you are about things, how much you pour yourself into the things you love and I love,” Lily pauses, and a bit of her hair falls on his back, “I love the way you would always be with me, even if we’re in rivalling houses.”

 _Our houses don’t matter._ Severus thinks against his green tie back in the dormitories and her red scarf around her neck.

As she plays with his fingers, she begins to speak again.

“I love the way you can’t keep yourself from leaning over a parchment when you’re deep in concentration, and I love the way you don’t let anything keep you from going all out when you want to.”

Severus feels a tug on his fingers. When he looks down at Lily, she’s looking at him with those bright green eyes twinkling with the stars in them.

“And I love how it took for me to realize all this when you reassured me for the nth time you would never leave me no matter what.” Part of him disbelieving, Lily raises her head to be parallel with his.

He’s still taller than her. But this way, she’s closer to his height than ever.

“So yes, Sevvy, I’m confessing to you. I think I’m in love with you. And yes, it took you telling me you’d stick by me even if I’m a Muggle for me to realize that’s why I can’t keep you out of my head every night.”

“Lil-”

But he never finishes his sentence that night. Because under the perfect night sky and the twinkling stars, Lily Evans leans in and touches her lips to Severus Snape’s, kissing him sweetly and softly. And he returns it, just as sweetly and softly, and they hold each other as they sway to the beat of their hearts, lips locked under the twinkling stars.

 _Please let this not be a dream,_ Severus pleads when they break apart. _Please let this not be a dream._

Behind them, a shooting star passes by.

And ten years later, Severus still has trouble explaining to himself how waking up to Lily Evans—Lily Evans- _Snape_ —every morning is no longer a dream.

**Author's Note:**

> So for the dialogue, I had mostly used it word per word, since I thought that would give it a better feel of diverging from canon. That being said, those words—and even the formatting—is all JK Rowling's. All hers. She is amazing and she makes me want to reach the stars for my dreams.
> 
> Also, copyright to Ed Sheeran (and kudos to his album Divide) for the song lyrics from Perfect.


End file.
